Maintenance of islet metabolism and function with SP hydrogel. Effects of encapsulation on (A) rat islet glucose consumption (n=3) and (B) insulin secretion in static incubation on day 14 (n=4). (C) On day 28, dynamic insulin release of islets were assessed by sequential stimulating by low- (3 mM), high- (17 mM, one arrow), and low- (3 mM, double arrow) glucose media using a perifusion system (n=3). * indicates significantly different to control islets (without hydrogel, p<0.05). Mean ± SEM.